Arrangement for indication of the position or direction of the steering wheels in vehicles



Dec. 27, 1927. 1,653,744

' K. STENSAETER ARRANGEMENT FOR INDICATION OF THE POSITION OR DIRECTION OF THE STEERING WHEELS IN VEHICLES Filed April 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 27, 1927. 1,653,744 K. STENSAETER ARRANGEMENT FOR INDICATION OF THE POSITION 0R DIRECTION OF THE STEERING WHEELS IN VEHICLES Filed April 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,653,744 PATENT orrlca,

.. KRISTOFFER STENSZETER, OF VALDBES, NORWAY.

ARRANGEMENT FOR INDICATION OF THE POSITION OB DIRECTION OF THE STEERING WHEELS IN VEHICLES. i i

Application filed April 23, 1924, Serial No; 708,578, and. in Norway May 15, 1923.

Drivers of automobiles and the like vehicles, and especially beginners in the art of driving, often consider it a drawback that they are not able to always observe b from the drivers seat the position of the front wheels, because the mud guards are so situated that the wheels can not be directly seen from the said seat.

It is the object of the present invention to remove the said drawback by providing an arrangement which in every moment shows the exact position and movement of the front wheels sidewards, This is made by arranging, at aplace which is easily observed from the drivers seat, a hand or other direction indicator which isso connected to the pivot or the hub of the front wheel or wheels, that the hand or indicator is caused to move corresponding to those movements of the front wheels which are caused by the drivers turning of the steering hand wheel.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of the above mentioned type which also acts satisfactory when the vehicle is driven in darkness. This is obtained by making the direction indicator hollow, placing a source of light therein andproviding suitable perforations or transparent portions through which the light from' the said source may radiate, or by combining the lanterns with the indicator in such manner that the lanterns. and the indicator are moved in unison.

The annexeddrawings show, by way of example, some embodiments of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a front view of an arrangement according to my invention, partially in section. y

2 is a side view thereof, also partially in section. y

Fig. 8 is a top view of a modified arrangement, parts being removed for sakeof clear ness.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified. form of the proper direction indicator, a portion being broken away to show the inner part thereof. p

Fig. 5 shows still another form of the arrangement, seen from the side and partially in section. V

Fig. 6 is a front view of the arrangement of Fig. 5 partially in section and Fig. is a top View thereof.

In Figs. 1 and 2 -1- is a front wheel and ==-Q== the stub shaft which the wheel 6- is secured a rod -9- by means'of a" set screw 8--. The rod -9 extends past the foremost edge ofthe mud guard 10-, there it is bent upward and then backward, and has secured thereto a bar or plate 11 extending somewhat backward along the upper side of the mud guard.

lVhen the pivot 3- turns according to the sideward movements of the wheel -1- caused by the steering operations, the plate 11- will move in accordance therewith, and thus serve as a wheel direction indicator, which may easily be observed from. the drivers seat and which in every movement indicates the exact position of the front wheels.

If the pivot is of the type which is rigidly secured to the bar l so that the hub of the wheel is swinging on the said pivot, the lower end of the tube 6- should be secured to a rod fast on the hub (not shown).

As will be seen the direction indicator arrangement may be adjusted as regards its height position as well as its longitudinal position, by means of the set screws -7 and --8 respectively. Thus a standard arrangement may be adjusted to suit vehicles of practically all types and dimensions.

In order that the described arrangement shall fulfill its purpose also in darkness, the

plate -11, or the operating parts -8-, 5, -6. or -9-- thereof may be con nected to or combined with some suitable source of light. According to Figs. land 2 the said source of light may be an electric lamp or lantern l2 secured to the plate In lieu of securing a source of light on the proper wheel direction indicator so that a beam of li ht is projected forward in the longitudina direction of the said indicator, the indicator proper may be made luminous. This may be made by coating the direction its a with the front wheel -1-.

indicator with some compound which emits lighter by using an arrangement of the type shown in Fig. 4. Here the indicator -11 is hollow and the top. Wall thereof is pro vided with holes -13- covered by a suitableti ansparentmaterial. Within the incheater-11 is or are arranged one or several electric lamps 14. Thus the im dicator will be seen against the mud guard as clearly in darkness as in full day light. Obviously the entire top portion of the indicater may be covered with a transparent plate, in lieu of only providing holesin the top plate.

' In Fig. 3 is shown a modified arrangement of my invention. To the pivot -3- is secured a lever 15- which movesin unison Through a BOWden-Wire 16 the lever is connected y with a hand member -17- so situated that it may easily be observed from the drivers seat. Thus the position or noveinent of a hand -17 will correspond with theposition ormoveme'iit of the level -l5-, and according! also'with the osition 01- moveliefront Wheels, and the driver only need to observe the hand --17 inorder to know the position of the front heels.

The hand 17- may, if desired, be made luminous in one of the manners previously described. a y Also if the arrangement according to Fig. 3 is used, it may be desirable to mount the ienternsor lamps of the vehiole in such inanner that they may serve as Wheel direction indicators in dnrhess. such arrangement may be as shown in Fig. 3. The lanterns are by means of an arm119 pivotally eonne'eted to the frameof the vehicle or to some other suitable fixecl member of the vehicle. The lanterns are interconnected bymeans of a rod 20 or, if ermissible, to the parallel barof the stearing echanism. The rod 20 is by means of a suitable link 21 connected to "an arm 22 on the pivot 3. Thus the rod -20-- and accordingly also the lanterns -18 will move corresponding to the movement of the w-heel--l In Figs. 5-7 is shown another arran e ment, in vhich the lanterns and thewheel direction indicator rneansare moved simultaneously.

A frame or bracket 23 has 'itslower end secured to the lower portion of the radiator --'24- and its upper end secured to the mud guard 10, To the braeket 23 is, by means of a pivot -25 secured an arm 26 to the outer end of which is rigidly connected the direction indicator ll. The 25- is preferably so situated that the center line of the pivot will ass'the'repivot througli it extended Thetrontehd of the member 11- carries on arm 2T--, or tending somewhat downward and inward. To the inner side of a flange -30- on the wheel hub secured an arm --2lextermiing torwardhnd somewhat d1). mild. The free end of the arm -29- is forked at -2-8-, and the lower end oif the arm QT-- extends between the said l'orltinemhers.

Thus the sideward movements the Way by the springs of the Vehicle,

act, through the arm 29 nthe braeket E23 isp itrotally inounted a lantern to the eivot Qll Df which is secured an :11-n1 53-9, which-(by means of a link is connected to the member -11-. Accordingly also the 15m, tern -32 will swing in aeeordanee with the'rnevements 0t themember -11. i

If the lanterns are situatedneairfthe Wind screen (not yshexvn) they may be pivetally mounted and eoi neeted to the lever-itby means of a Bowden wire connection or the like, so that they are moved in unison Having now particularly qlleserihed find ascertained the nature of "my said invention,

and in What mannerthe same isfto 1 Je pertojrined, i'declare that whaltl elailur The eonihination with itiotor "vehlele including a body, a Wheel guard, and a front heel mounted for steering inrivemerit, of a bracket connected with and ed15- ported by the Vehiclebody and Whexzl guard, an inttieater including a member e substantially in conformity With the to ture of the Wheel guard-and overlying latter, a laterally extending arm oafrried the indicator, means ivotally connecting said arrntt ith the said raeltet at a pointin vertical line with the axis of steering movement with the front Wheel, said indicator 1 ing in the same vertiotd plane with the fleet Wheel, and means for transmittin steering movementof the trontwheeltothe indicator. I In testimony whereof I name to this s eoification.

orres sreremee.

the by have signed my Kiel 

